Accessible data is well-described and ideally is catalogued in a data repository. Tips for accessible data are below:
Metadata are Retrievable
Metadata are retrievable by machines and humans through a well-defined, standardized protocol and the protocol should be open, free, and universally implementable.
Metadata are Accessible
Metadata are accessible, even when the data are no longer available. This means that even if data needs to be removed from a repository the descriptive metadata will persist.
Accessible does not mean Open
Data can adhere to the FAIR principles but remain closed to sharing. If data cannot be made openly accessible, metadata can still be made publicly available. Adding author contact information to closed data gives an avenue for researchers to learn more about data and reuse.